Throughout his senior year, he worked part time as an usher at the Carolina Coliseum. During the summer, as Cory anticipated starting his freshman year at the University of South Carolina, he took on a second part time job at Gadzooks, at Columbiana Mall. Everything was going great for him. Cory had a special personality and a smile that lit up the room. He was always joking and making people laugh and made friends with everyone. There were many girls who liked Cory and he would spend time on the phone with them and at school, but other than a special prom date and a few other occasions, he didn't date much in high school. He spent most of his free time hanging out with his friends and playing his guitar and bass and at home with his family.

While working at Gadzooks, Cory met Jamie Sturdevant. I could tell Cory had special feelings for Jamie and when I met her for the first time, on Cory's eighteenth birthday, I could see why. I thought she was beautiful, smart and had a sparkle about her, as did Cory. They had just begun to date when her ex-boyfriend, Brett Hollis, started making serious threats. Cory didn't know Brett and didn't want to know him.

On September 17, Cory came home from work visibly shaken and told me that Brett and his friend had come to the mall and threatened to kill him and Jamie. Someone who knew Jamie called the store where they were working and warned them. Brett possessed a loaded gun that he placed in the trunk of the car and had daggers strapped to his body. He sent his friend into the mall to try to get Cory to come outside. Mall security intercepted the friend and escorted him back to his car. Security then brought Brett back into their office and had him sign an agreement banning him from coming back onto mall property for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, they did not confiscate the knives or gun and released him.

I held his hand tightly as Cory told me this story. I could hear the fear in his voice and see it in his eyes as he cried, "Mom, he was going to kill me". I hugged him tight and we went upstairs to tell Louie what had happened. When Cory mentioned the name of this person, Louie noted that he had worked with someone years ago named Gary Hollis and wondered if they were related. After placing a call to Gary, we found out that Gary was Brett's uncle and also who his parents were. After a couple of tries, Louie was finally able to reach Brett's parents by phone and told them about Brett's threats and the incident at the mall. Even though it was evident that we took this situation deadly serious, Brett's mother stated that Brett was "just blowing hot air" and the mall situation had been blown out of proportion. When Louie asked if Brett had access to any guns, she lied and said no, but that he had a little knife collection. She said that Brett was very jealous of Jamie and that they had broken up several times and he was having trouble letting go. Louie told her that if it was his son, he would want to know about these problems and get to the bottom of the situation and suggested that she get Brett some help. They didn't seem to take it serious and this angered us.

The next day Brett called our house and Cory answered. He tried to cover his story by saying he wasn't going to do anything stupid to mess up his chance to go into the Marines. Cory was afraid to go back to work at the mall and asked his manager if he could have some time off to let things calm down. That was fine and Cory stayed away about two weeks. We continued to asked Cory, almost weekly, if he had heard anything else from Brett. He had not and hoped everything was ok.

But then, on November 13, I received a call from someone asking for Cory. He said his name was Justin and that he was a friend. A few minutes later I checked the caller id and saw that the call had come from Brett's house. I called Louie at work and he redialed the number, asked for Justin and told him not to let Brett get him in trouble, and that he knew what he meant. We then realized that "Justin" was really Brett and became very concerned about what he was up to.

Cory was working at the Coliseum that night, helping set up the stage and usher for The Wallflowers concert. When Cory came home late that night, he tried to call Jamie to ask about the phone call but couldn't reach her. Friday, Cory went to his classes and then to work at the mall for a few hours, but came home early in the evening. He was tired from working long hours that week and was also stressed about this latest incident with Brett.

Saturday, Cory worked at the mall and got off at 4:00 in the afternoon. He spent some time in his room playing his guitar and I noticed he was playing a bit louder than usual and I thought to myself that it sounded really great. He was practicing a Beatles song, "I Want You". We had a family dinner planned at The Olive Garden that night and were looking forward to a nice evening. As we waited for our table, Cory talked to me about work that day and entertained me with a sample version of Adam Sandler's "Thanksgiving Song". He ordered his usual, eggplant parmigiana, and we had a great evening.

As Jamie tried to run outside with the phone, Brett chased her and dragged her back into the house causing her to hit her head on the metal bed frame, knocking her unconscious momentarily. He then went back to where Cory was and Jamie could hear Cory pleading with Brett to stop. Brett shot Cory point blank in the head, then dragged him into Jamie's closet.

He then brought Jamie into the room, tied her to the bed, gagged her, then raped her several times throughout the next few hours, threatening to kill her and himself. Eventually she was able to convince him that the only option was to go to the police station and turn himself in.

Brett took Jamie with him to the Irmo Police Station and told them he needed to be arrested for killing two people. At first they though he was joking, but soon realized it was no joke. Lexington County officers were called to make the arrest and were sent to the house to discover the horrible crime scene.

Brett Hollis was charged with two counts of first degree murder, one count of first degree burglary, kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct. The State was asking for the death penalty. In February of 2000, we went to trial and Brett was convicted on all five counts, but the jury chose the option of a life sentence without parole. The judge sentenced him to two life terms without parole plus sixty years, to be served consecutively. He will never be eligible to get out of prison.

During the trial, it was disclosed that Brett had displayed many signs of being troubled for several years, signs his parents should have heeded. He had self-mutilated by cutting words into his arms and chest, he was depressed and sullen, talked of suicide, he would sneak out of his house at night as he did the night of the murders, he told a Marine recruiter he wanted to be a sniper because he wanted to kill people, he had threatened previous girlfriends and when they learned he was making threats to kill Cory, they blew it off. Several people, including his own relatives testified that they told his mother over the past years that Brett needed psychological help.

All the signs were there, and they did nothing. They didn't even secure their weapons, knowing he could be dangerous. His father testified that he didn't notice anything unusual. When you are dealing with parents that refuse to be concerned, I don't know what can be done. Cory and Mary were the least likely people to have this happen to them. They were both full of love and joy and loved life. I'll never understand how a human being could commit these kinds of horrible acts and inflict such pain on others. It really seems inhuman.

Mom, Please Understand
Last night while I was trying to sleep,
My son's voice I did hear.
I opened my eyes and looked around
But he did not appear.
He said, "Mom you've got to listen,
You've got to understand,
God didn't take me from you, Mom,
He only took my hand.
When I called out in pain that night,
The instant that I died,
He reached down and took my hand
And pulled me to His side.
He pulled me up and saved me
From misery and pain.
My body was hurt so badly inside,
I could never be the same.
My search is really over now,
I've found happiness within,
All the answers to my dreams,
And all that might have been.
I love you so and miss you so,
And I'll always be nearby,
My body's gone forever,
But my spirit will never die!
And so, you must go on now,
One day at a time,
Just understand-
God did not take me from you,
He only took my hand.
- Author Unknown